How Phaelona Bradley champions customer service and breaks barriers

Phaelona Bradley, director of customer service and sales support at Yokohama Tire, takes the words “customer service” very seriously. Excellent customer service is at the core of most successful businesses, and Phaelona would know it - she’s been doing it since 2002 with the same company.
Phaelona has grown her initially temporary customer service role with the company into a lifelong career with Yokohama Tire - a career that led her to become the company’s first female commercial territory manager before taking on her current role, something she takes great pride in.
“I knew it was going to be a challenge for me because I already knew it was male-dominated. I relied heavily on what I knew I was good at, which was customer service,” Phaelona explains. “As a woman, I do feel like there were times I had to work harder to prove that I was knowledgeable in the area of selling truck tires. I had to study harder and work longer hours because I wanted to show that I was just as capable as the men who were out in the field.”
Phaelona’s exposure to different parts of the business not only broadened her knowledge but also ignited a passion for her professional growth. Her eagerness to expand her skills and her willingness to take on new responsibilities pushed her forward.
In her current role, Phaelona says she leverages her customer service expertise to streamline processes and relieve pressure on her colleagues. As she rose through Yokohama’s ranks, she found that training is among the most important aspects of this business, and she developed Yokohama’s first training program for the customer service department in response.
"I make myself the hub for all types of issues to take some of the pressure off of customer service because I know what it was like to be on that side," she says.
At the heart of Phaelona's approach is also a commitment to work-life balance, a principle she not only practices herself but also actively promotes within her team. Phaelona says she understands that efficiency comes from an equal amount of professional and personal responsibilities outside of the office.
"To me, the work-life balance means that I'm more productive and I'm more efficient in my day-to-day,” she explains. “On days I work from home, I try to make sure I take a short walk during the day. When I take a break, I don't allow myself to start reading emails. I did that at some point, but I found that I could start my day more focused when I gave myself a little grace period. I'm much more efficient that way.”
Phaelona embodies what it means to be a member of Club 3633. As an example of what it means to be a team player, she’s always doing what she can to make those around her better and develop herself.